Shasta County Biographies
EDWARD FRISBIE
Transcribed by Kathy Sedler
This file is part of the California Genealogy & History Archives
http://www.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~cagha/index.htm
Edward Frisbie, President of the Bank of Northern California, is one
of Shasta County�s prominent citizens and business men. A brief sketch of his
life is as follows:
He was born in Albany, New York, November 18, 1826, the son of
Eleazer and Cynthia (Cornell) Frisbie, both natives of the State of New York,
the former of French ancestry and the latter of English. He was the fourth born
in the family, was reared on his father�s farm and received his early education
in Albany. At the age of fourteen young Frisbie left home to work on a farm at
six dollars per month. He worked out four years and in the meantime attended
school six months at the Albany Academy. April 16, 1846, he was united in
marriage to Miss Phebe Ann Klink, a beautiful young girl of his own county. He
started a small dairy at Albany and continued it successfully for four years.
At the end of that time he removed to Syracuse and purchased a farm, remaining
there seven years.
In 1855 he sold out and came to California and settled in Napa
County. He purchased a farm five miles from Vallejo, where he farmed
successfully for twenty-two years. In 1877 Mr. Frisbie purchased 20,000 acres
of the Redding grant, covering the towns of Redding and Anderson. He divided
the property up, put it on the market and sold it off, having disposed of the
last of it in 1885. He engaged in lumbering on Pitt River, floated the logs to
Redding and sawed them there. In 1888 he formed a banking corporation, composed
of the following gentlemen: E. Frisbie, F. H. Deakin, J. McCormick, Captain T.
G. Taylor and T. A. C. Doland. They gave it the name of the Bank of Northern
California. They started with a capital of $100,000. Mr. Frisbie was elected
President, which position he still occupies. He also has large farming
interests in this State; owns a stock-ranch of 920 acres on the Bald Hills in
Shasta County, where he is raising cattle and horses. With one of his sons and
another gentleman Mr. Frisbie is farming 12,000 acres of land in Monterey
County. On this place they have a large dairy. About one-half of the place is
being cultivated. On it they harvested 63,000 sacks of wheat and barley.
There were born to Mr. Frisbie by his first wife eleven children,
all of whom are married and have children of their own. At his writing Mr.
Frisbie has twenty-four grandchildren. July 17, 1886, after a useful and happy
life Mrs. Frisbie was called home. The loss of this loving and indulgent mother
and true and devoted wife was deeply felt by her family and many friends. In
June, 1887, Mr. Frisbie wedded Miss Laura A. Walden, a native of California and
daughter of Mr. Jerome Walden, an early settler of the State. This union is
blessed with a daughter, Edwina Fay.
Mr. Frisbie�s brother, now General J. B. Frisbie, was a Captain of
one of the companies in General Stevenson�s regiment, and came with that
regiment to California in 1846. He is now a resident of Mexico. Another
brother, Eleazer, came to this State with the same regiment. General J. B.
Frisbie and Dr. L. C. Frisbie married General Vallejo�s daughters. Dr. Frisbie
has resided at Vallejo since 1852.
Previous to the civil war the subject of this sketch was Democrat,
but he voted for John C. Fremont, and has since given his vote and influence to
the Republican party. In all business matters he is very exact, both to give
and receive what is just. In public affairs he has always been very liberal,
having given much to aid in the many improvements made in his section of the
country. He is one of the citizens of California, who, by his industry,
integrity and well-directed efforts, has risen to an enviable position in a
business point of view, not only in Shasta County but also throughout Northern
California.
SOURCE: Memorial and Biographical History of Northern California, The Lewis
Publishing Company, 1891. pg. 311-312